Love to the Sound of Rain
by Bremol
Summary: Charles seems to be affected by the rain...


A/N: Yes, I'm still working on the sequel to Downton's Scottish Dragon, but this just had to be written when I saw the prompts on Tumblr. The prompts used are: Chair, corset, fingernails, fireplace, gentle, interruption, rain, sleepy. First time was also a prompt, but even though first time is mentioned in this fic, it isn't about their first time.

This is pure fluffy M-ness. You've been warned.

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Elsie sighed then yawned and shook her head trying to clear it. Charles was late as had become a habit this last week. The other nights hadn't been a problem, but she had had a long stressful day today and was sleepy, so sleepy that she was near exhaustion. Looking at the small clock on Charles' desk, she took a deep breath and tugged at the collar of her dress. Grumbling at how tight the garment had suddenly become, she reached up to undo a few of the buttons. Finally comfortable, she took one last look at the clock, her eyes drifting shut of their own accord, winning the battle she'd been fighting with sleep.

Scrubbing a hand over his face as a yawn nearly forced him to stumble, Charles opened the door to his pantry and froze. Blinking a few times to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him, he shook his head at the sight. Elsie was beautiful sitting there, her head lolled to the side, her eyes closed in slumber. He felt terribly bad for being late once again, but it just couldn't be helped. He frowned as he moved closer to her and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. He'd kept her up far too late for too many nights this week. It's no wonder she hadn't been able to stay awake while waiting for him.

Reaching out, he tenderly caressed a wisp of hair from her forehead. "Shh," he murmured when she stirred. Satisfied that she wasn't going to wake up, he carefully lifted her out of his chair, smiling when she instinctively snuggled against him. Thankful that he'd left the door standing open, he made his way down the hall and up the stairs, being as quiet as possible.

"Mr. Carson?" a quiet voice called in the dark just as he neared Elsie's door.

Charles rolled his eyes at the interruption of his thoughts. How had he thought he wouldn't be caught? "Yes, Anna. I'm sorry to startle you."

"Is Mrs. Hughes alright?" Anna asked as she moved closer, her candle casting shadows over the figure of the older woman.

"She's fine, Anna. She just fell asleep and I didn't wish to disturb her."

Anna raised an eyebrow at that. "I see."

Scowling at the young woman, Charles jerked his head toward Elsie's door. "Would you mind opening Mrs. Hughes' door for me?"

"Oh yes, Mr. Carson."

Charles nodded toward Anna in thanks as he passed by her, crossing into Elsie's room. "That'll be all, Anna."

Anna knowing that tone in his voice, gave a slight curtsy and a devilish wink. "I'll not be mentioning this to anyone."

"The cheek!" Charles growled at the departing figure, the closed door blocking his words. Shaking his head, he eased Elsie down onto the bed. With gentle hands he began to fuss with the tiny buttons of her dress. Scowling at the bits of resin as they refused to cooperate, he shook his head when thoughts of other times he'd been in this position filtered into his mind. He shouldn't, couldn't, be thinking these thoughts right now. He was simply trying to undress his lady love so that he could put her in her night dress and nothing more.

"Charles," her soft voice startled him.

Looking down into the sleepy blue eyes staring up at him, Charles sighed, "I'm sorry, Elsie. I didn't mean to wake you."

She smiled and looked down to where his hands had stilled against her buttons. "The buttons fighting you again?"

Charles mock scowled at her as he reached up to caress her cheek. "You do the buttons, I'll unpin your hair."

Elsie turned her face into his hand, pressing a soft kiss to the palm. "I like it when you take down my hair."

The way she was looking at him started Charles' blood pumping, but he shook his head. "Now, now, Mrs. Hughes."

Arching an eyebrow, Elsie blinked up at him. "Now, now what, Mr. Carson?" she asked innocently, well, as innocently as she could muster with the twinkle sparking in her eyes.

Narrowing his own eyes, Charles moved his head down closer, gently brushing her nose with his. "Elsie, you're so very tired."

"I had a nice nap," she whispered, shivering when he gave in, his hands pulling the pins from her hair.

Charles watched Elsie's eyes close, her head tilt into his hands as he removed the last of the pins and softly combed his fingers through the silken strands he'd just freed from their confines. Nuzzling her neck, he smiled when he felt her shiver against him. Pulling back, he kissed her lips then moved away. "You finish with those buttons and I'll build a fire." His eyes burned as he looked at her. "Wouldn't want you catching your death."

"While you're having your way with me?"

"Elsie," he scolded with a chuckle as he turned his attention to the fireplace.

Elsie smiled as she quickly divested herself of her dress, underskirts, corset, and all of the other bits of cloth and silk that kept her hidden from him. Slipping beneath the blankets, she waited and watched as he finished with the fire. "It's raining," she whispered after a few moments of just silently taking in his every movement.

Turning back to her, Charles swallowed down a moan. "What a sight you are," he breathed. Her hair was gently tussled, a ringlet falling over each bare shoulder as she sat with her legs drawn up, her arms draped across them as she rested her chin on her knees.

"A lonely sight," she told him softly, smiling when he began to make short work of undressing himself.

Joining Elsie, Charles pushed the hair away from her shoulder, pressing a soft kiss there. "I love the taste of you."

Settling back against her pillow, Elsie stared up at Charles, waiting with bated breath for him to touch her as she longed to be touched. "Charles, please," she whimpered. "Don't make me wait."

Cupping her breast, Charles watched her eyes close as a murmur of pleasure slipped from her lips. Gently rolling the sensitive nipple between his thumb and forefinger, he felt a pull low in his stomach at the way her body reacted to the stimuli. Leaning forward, he took the taut peak into his mouth, his hand moving to the other breast.

Elsie hummed her pleasure as she lifted a hand, her fingers tangling in his hair as his mouth suckled, his teeth nipped, and his tongue soothed and teased in turn. He was being exceedingly wicked tonight in his foreplay and her body was on fire from it. "Charles!" her breath caught when his hand moved over her ribs, lower and lower until he was gently nudging her thighs apart so that he could touch and taunt the sensitive flesh at the apex.

Lifting his head so that he could watch her, Charles whispered, "Open your eyes, Elsie," and waited for her to comply. Holding her gaze, he slid a finger between the wet folds of her center, watching in rapt attention as her eyes turned into a blue flame.

"Charles," she panted then bit her lip, turning her face into the pillow when his finger curled and hit just the right spot to set her off.

Charles moved over her and balanced himself on his forearms as he watched her slowly calming, her eyes fluttering open. Catching a drop of sweat with his thumb as it rolled down her forehead, he winked at her. "Is that what you wanted?"

Taking a deep breath, she smiled brilliantly at him as she lifted her hips and rubbed against him. "No. It is not what I wanted."

"Did you not enjoy it? It looked like you enjoyed it immensely."

Narrowing her eyes at him, she dug the fingernails of her left hand into his buttock. "You know that I did, you silly man, but I want you," her voice lowered before she finished. "not your finger."

Holding her gaze, Charles pushed forward, groaning as the tight, wet heat of her surrounded and accepted him. "Dear god, Elsie," he moaned as he moved against her. "It's been much too long."

Trailing her hands up his back, Elsie lifted her legs over his, moving her body in the rhythm he'd set as she clasped his hands. "Much, much too long." Her voice was breathy as she agreed with his sentiments, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck.

Drawing a pattern over her pulse point with his tongue and eliciting a whimper from the woman beneath him, Charles Carson smiled before burying his face against her sweet smelling hair as he let himself go, let the passion overtake him.

Elsie's cries of Charles' name were muffled by her pillow as she trembled beneath the weight of him as he collapsed against her. Taking deep breaths to steady her breathing and calm herself, she turned her face toward him and pressed soft tender kisses to his temple, tasting the saltiness of the perspiration that dampened his hair and skin.

Rearranging their positions so that his full weight wasn't on her, Charles held Elsie cradled against him and smiled down at her. "I think the sound of rain has an affect on me."

Elsie arched an eyebrow. "You think? I know." Caressing his face, she pulled his head down so she could press her lips to his. "After all, it was raining the night you first loved me."


End file.
